Tourniquet
by BlueEyedxAngel
Summary: Set directly after the events of season 4. Cook is worried about Freddie after his sudden disappearance, and goes after him, the information and the person that Cook returns with sends the whole group in a spiral, and is bound to change them forever. WARNINGS: Torture, violence, slash, smut (later chapters), and well - this is Skins.


**_So this was any idea brought up by my girlfriend (DarkestImmortal) and myself. The ideas and scenes were all come up with by us, and she spent all of her 4th of July editing my ridiculous fuck up in the fic. So thank you for that, baby, I know my run on sentences drove you crazy for a while there, and this will only become the success I hope it will thanks to you. 3 _**

**_Anyways, this is slightly AU, it follows to events of the series 4 finale, and in our version of this Freddie didn't die. This whole idea started out with a roleplay the two of us started with our friend Emily ages ago. This story will include chapters featuring Freddie, JJ, Maxxie, Karen, Effy, and then ending with a chapter on everyone (The JJ chapter will be titled Maxxie and JJ, since it heavily features both of them) _**

**_There are several flashbacks in this chapter, you will know when it's a flashback, because it will be in all italics. _**

**_So enjoy, and make sure you read and review!_**

**_-Blue Eyes_**

* * *

It had been exactly 7 days, 12 hours and 34 minutes since Freddie had gone missing, and many rampant thoughts had been running through Cook's head.

The only thing that stopped him from immediately turning himself in to the cops was Karen and her inability to give up. The fact that she believed that something had actually happened to Freddie was enough to keep Cook from abandoning the people he loves. If he disappeared too, it would just hurt Effy and JJ.

Earlier that day, Karen had gone after Cook to tell him her thoughts about Freddie. Initially, he thought she was crazy, but now he was starting to believe her. Karen had been civil to him, a novelty since the older McClair has hated his guts for as long as he could remember. That should have been the first hint that something weird was up.

* * *

_He was such an idiot. He couldn't believe that it took a piss drunk Naomi to notice how Arcia looked just like Effy. Maybe everyone was right; he never would be able to get over Princess. He got up, rushed over to the door, pushed Arcia out of it, and then slammed it shut. _

"_Cook?" _

_Cook was standing in the doorway when the elder McClair walked up to him. He let out a sigh. "I'm losing it, man." _

_He could see right away that Karen had no patience for any of his jokes or comments at this point. She suddenly opened the door and motioned for him to follow her. "Cook, come and talk to me." Before he could even say a single word, Karen shoved him out the door. _

"_I never clocked that she looked like Eff, I swear," he said as he walked after Karen. _

_Karen let out an annoyed sigh. "Crissakes, stop being a tit." She didn't turn to look back as she walked slightly ahead of him. "Freddie," she said after a pause, her voice tinged with worry. "Something's up."_

"_Look Karen, I've asked around. There is no sign of Freds. He's legged it, that's all there is."_

"_You owe him, Cook," Karen said, her brown eyes boiling over with anger. "When you ran off last year, who came looking for you?" she added looking back at Cook with a pained look. _

"_That's only cos I took his girl with me, y'know he wouldn't have minded it if-" Cook was cut off, suddenly getting slapped hard across the face by Karen. It was obvious that she wasn't going to take any of his bullshit today. _

"_You stupid bastards! What is wrong with you all?!"_

"_Fook," Cook muttered as he held his face in his hand. _

"_You find him, you fucking find my brother!" Karen screamed, feeling nothing but rage for the idiot in front of her._

"_Karen, I'm sorry. I miss him too." _

"_No you don't. Nobody loves him like I do; not even that crazy bitch, Effy. He's all I've got, god knows he's all you've got," Karen said, looking distraught. She threw a red notebook at Cook. "Read that, and tell me there is nothing wrong. I'll give you a blowjob every day for a year if that's all you care about." Karen then turned her back on Cook._

"_You've got me wrong, Karen." _

"_Show me," Karen said as she walked off without another word. _

_Cook was left standing with that notebook left in his hand. He opened it up and was surprised at what he saw. "I love her," just the same phrase repeated over and over again on every page. This wasn't something that could be written by someone who was scared off by his girlfriend losing it. He moved through the pages. It continued on every page, the writing getting bigger and more frantic. It almost looked like something that JJ would write on his wall. Cook put the book down and took a deep breath. He felt the same way. He hated seeing Effy going mental too._

"_So do I, Freds, so do I." he said as the tears started. He covered his face with his hand, dropped to his knees, and sobbed. _

* * *

Cook stared hard at the photo of him, Fred, and Jay that hung on the wall of the shed. None of this made any sense. Freddie was everything to him, and now he had no clue where he could have gone. He just disappeared into thin air. Cook was terrified about what could have happened to him. He had hoped that Freddie had listened when he told him not to leave, but the red journal was proof enough of that. After all, Freddie would never abandon his loved ones. Even through all the fuck ups, he never left Cook. He definitely wouldn't leave Effy either. Those two were madly in love with each other.

Cook stood against a tree with a spliff between his teeth. He took a drag of it, exhaling the smoke into the air. On the one hand, if he just left this alone, he could try to steal Effy back. On the other hand, Freds was his best friend. Of course he loved JJ, but he'd always been closer to Freddie. In fact, if Eff never walked into their lives, Cook probably would've fallen in love with the bastard. He sighed, thinking back to when he looked over that journal.

* * *

_It was almost four in the morning. Cook was lying in bed, still not able to keep his eyes off that journal. Fook, couldn't Freds have given him more of a hint other than these damned declarations of love? Suddenly, something caught his eye. On one of the last pages there was something written over the I love her's. Written in black marker, it read: __**JOHN FOSTER WANTS TO HURT HER.**_

"_**Cook!" **_

_Cook jumped. He had heard a voice, and he could swear that it sounded just like Freds'. Could Freds still be alive?_

"_What?" Cook asked as he looked around, searching for the source of the voice. "Freds?" A small smile shone on Cook's face as he let out a sigh. He laid back down and stared at the ceiling. Alive or dead, no matter where he was, Freddie had to be able to hear him. _

"_Hey Fredster, look where we ended up. All back at Naomi Campbell's." He turned his head as he heard a noise. Katie was asleep next to him, farting. He couldn't help but chuckle. She certainly didn't sleep like a lady._

* * *

Cook ended up right back at Naomi's, but couldn't find anything more than a few beers. He was just about to have another sobbing session when the door opened. Naomi came in, holding a bag of chips and some more beers, a spliff sticking out of her mouth.

"Hey Cookie," she said tiredly. When Cook looked over at the half empty bottle of vodka that hung from her fingers, he couldn't help but give out a small smile. "Um, I thought that maybe I should check on you. You've been distant."

That was strange, he didn't think that anyone had noticed the change in his behavior. Maybe he was too distracted by the possibility of being caught by the coppers.

"You checking on me?"

"Yeah, of course. You've been more fucked up then most of us. You know, now that Freds is gone, you could just make your move."

"Karen didn't tell ya the truth, did she sweetheart? Guess she only talked to me, thought I was the only one who could handle it." Cook figured it was worth sharing the secret. Naomikins was one of the few people he could trust.

"No one told me anything," Naomi said with a sigh, taking a drink from her bottle.

"Freds didn't run away, Naoms, Karen was pretty sure that something was up, and I think she might be right. Freds loved Effy, he'd never just fuck off on her like everyone thinks."

"Alright, but where exactly do you think Freddie could actually be? I mean if that's true, it's been a week. He's probably dead somewhere."

"You wouldn't understand, Naoms."

"Cookie…"

"He's my best mate, babe," Cook said. He stood up, staring out the window. This whole situation has been making his head spin since yesterday.

"The cops are after you. It's got to be hard, dealing with what you're dealing with. I just need you to know that we're all here for you, me especially. Fuck, I'd even let you shag me if it would make you feel fucking better. I know how you feel…" she sighed, standing next to Cook and wrapping her arms around him.

Cook turned and looked at her.

"You serious about that one, babe?"

"You're such an arse."

"Well yeah, but you really mean it?"

"Okay, not really, but I'll give you another snog if that'll make you feel better."

"Don't think that'll help, Naomikins, no matter how much I'd love it – you know I need to find him. Plus, you need to fix things with Emilio before it's too late. You love her and you know it. You've suffered enough." _And if I can't be with Eff, then one of us has to be with the one we love. _It would definitely help her, and probably get her off his back about all this shit. If Emily just wanted to fuck randoms, then the love Naomi had for her would go to waste. She had to fix things before it was too late.

"You know that she'll realize how much you love her someday. You'll be the same wild ones as you were a year ago."

"She's not what I need, Naomi," Cook said, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. He dug through his wallet and pulled a photo of The Musketeers. It had been 7 days, and that was too long. "I'm going to find him. Bristol isn't that big, he has to be somewhere."

"It's also been a week. If he's anywhere, he's not coming back."

"His journal said something about Dr. Foster wanting to hurt Eff, and if I know Freddie, then he'd do anything to protect her."

"Journal? What the fuck are you going on about, Cook?"

"Freddie's journal, I gave it to Eff."

"Okay, okay, fuck it. Guess I won't be able to do anything to stop you. Where are you even going to start trying to find him though?" Naomi asked, moving towards Cook and kissing him softly on the lips in a way that said _please be careful._

"Don't worry about me Naoms. I've got some skills," Cook said pulling on a shirt. He put a switchblade into his pocket, making sure that he'd be safe in case Foster decided to attack. _I'll find you Freds, I promised Eff. _

* * *

_Cook was on the run, and the only place he could possibly think to go in order to hide was the shed. He'd be safe there, he always fooking was. As he closed the door, he turned around and was surprised to find that he wasn't alone. Effy had already beaten him there. Effy was wearing one of Freddie's flannel shirts. Seeing Cook, she straightened it out as she looked at him. _

"_You fuck everything up again?" _

_Cook stared long and hard at Effy. He hadn't seen her in what seemed like forever. _

"_Yeah," Cook said, not really sure what else to say, even though Effy knew him too well._

"_It's his birthday today."_

_He wasn't sure why he hadn't even thought of that before. August 24, 2010. Freddie turned 19 today._

"_Yeah." _

_Cook finally decided to walk in. He saw the pile of clothes on the floor. Effy watched him, sitting in the large red chair. "You think he'd mind?" Cook asked, pulling up one of Freddie's shirts. _

_Effy just stared, giving him her usual mysterious smile. Then her expression turned into one of sad thoughtfulness. "Freds probably got scared. I'm pretty scary." _

_Cook looked over at her with a teasing smile on his face. Scary was never something that he'd use to define Effy. "Yep."_

_He could tell that Effy was totally and completely scared. That she missed Freddie more than anything. That she still loved him. _

"_I can't not know. If he couldn't bear it...I can handle it…I __**think**__ I can handle it," Effy said._

_Cook looked closely at Effy. She was broken, honestly believing that Freddie left because of her. He couldn't let her think that. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the journal. He handed it to her. Cook watched closely as Effy began to open it. Her face became confused and pained as she saw the pages filled with Freds' words of love. _

"_We'll go and find him, alright?" Cook said as he leaned next to her. _

* * *

Cook groaned as he pissed on the ground. It took him a while, but he finally managed to find Foster's place. He pulled his pants up as he looked closely at one of the windows. He bent down to the ground and picked up a stone. "Freds?" Cook asked. He threw the stone at the window, but nobody answered. He was about to head out when the sound of a bottle clattering got his attention. He turned around

"Who's that?" Cook saw a shadowy figure moving away, and knew immediately that he had to follow him. He continued to follow him until he saw the figure go inside Foster's house. Cook climbed up and opened a window, climbing through it. Turning on a lamp, he rifled through Foster's things.

Cook picked up a plastic bin. Inside was a bloody t-shirt wrapped in plastic. "What?" he asked in disbelief. He took the shirt out, examining it. Then he saw another parcel. If he was in doubt of whose clothes these were before, the plastic wrapped sneaker clinched it. The name Fredster was written on the side. Why were his clothes boxed up? Was he dead?

"Get out."

Cook jumped as he suddenly heard a voice. He looked around as the lights were suddenly flicked on. That was when he saw him; Foster was standing there holding a bat.

"What have you done?"

Foster gave a small chuckle. "Don't be stupid, Cook," he said. Seeing the confusion on the younger man's face, he elaborated. "She told me all about you too. There was much to correct in that girl. I almost managed it. Perhaps I still can."

Cook was shaking in anger. He couldn't believe this. Foster had killed Freddie. "You…you did somefin' to my friend."

"This is wasting time. Would you kneel down, please?" Foster calmly asked.

"Mr. Foster-"

"_Dr._ Foster, actually. Kneel down, please." Foster repeated, cutting Cook off.

Cook shook his head, and that was when Foster punched him hard in the stomach. Cook groaned in pain, barely managing to stay upright. He eventually righted himself, standing tall and proud. He gives Foster a dangerous smile as he chuckles.

"I don't think you know what I am, mate."

"I think I do. You're nothing. You don't deserve that girl, and you know…I do."

Cook smirked. "I'm a fooking waste of space. I'm just a stupid kid, I got no sense. Criminal. I'm no fucking use, man. I _am_ nothing. So please…please…get it into your – you know – into your bonce, that you killed my friend. And…" He shrugged as if he was an afterthought. Because compared to the death of his best mate, Cook really is nothing but an afterthought. "I'm Cook."

He then exploded as Foster just continues giving him that smug fooking look, like he's entertaining him. "I'M COOK!" His fists flew, punching Foster repeatedly in the gut. Foster flipped Cook over, trying to strangle the teen. Cook continued to try to hit Foster. Failing, he reached for the switchblade in his pocket. "You can't kill me, I'm not the weak one here," Cook growled as he pointed the blade to Foster's neck.

If Cook could just get the bat away from Foster, he'd be able to do just what Foster had done to Freddie. The animal inside of him was free, and he was out for blood. Cook plunged the switch blade into Foster's hand. "You know I could let you bleed out, but I want to take care of you with my own hands. You will never have Effy, never. As long as I live, I will always protect her," Cook vowed. He found a heavy box sitting on the ground. He picked it up and slammed it hard on Foster's other hand. Now the bat was his. Cook picked up the bat, then pulled the knife out of Foster's hand, seeing the blood on it. He began hitting Foster continuously with the bat, hitting him everywhere he could. It was like he was out of control. He kept hitting him until Foster was finally unconscious. Finally, to end the madness, Cook finished the job by plunging the knife into the bastard's heart.

Cook took a deep breath. As he got up he saw an open door. Maybe he could find Freddie's body in there. He went downstairs, where he found himself in a dungeon-esque room. He turned on a lamp. As he did, he saw hundreds of photos of Effy on the walls. There were photos of Effy's home. Photos of her in her hospital room talking to Panda and Katie. There was even a photo of Freddie with a knife through it. Cook then found a board with a photo of Effy in the center. Arrows were pointing outward to photos of her brother, Katie, Panda, Emily, Naomi, some kid wearing a hat and glasses that Cook didn't recognize, Freddie, himself, her parents, and many other people he didn't know. Looking up at the ceiling he saw knives, whips, chainsaws, bats, axes, and hundreds of other weapons hanging from the ceiling.

"_Cook…" _

Cook looked up, he suddenly heard a voice. Fook, there better not be another one, he didn't have the energy to kill anyone else. He moved to the back of the basement, and that was where he saw Freddie chained to the wall.

"Freds? Fredster? Freddie? DAMMIT FREDS, WAKE UP!" He immediately moved his hand to Freddie's heart, there was a faint beat. He was alive. Cook found a key on the ground and undid the shackles. He let Freddie down. They needed to go back to the shed.

* * *

As Karen left her house, she could hear music coming from the shed. Maybe Freddie was back? Who could have been in there? She walked down to the shed, then hearing a girl's laughter. She opened the door. Instead of Freddie, she saw JJ standing there. Effy and Panda were sitting on the couch. The Stonem girl's legs were in her friend's lap as she smoked a spliff.

"I thought… what the fuck are you doing?" she asked, staring at JJ like she thought he was a complete idiot.

"We're having a party. Freds'd like it, don't you think?" JJ asked with a hesitant smile.

Karen looked at JJ with surprise and confusion for a while but then a small smile of her own appeared on her face. Her brother would've appreciated the gesture…if he were here. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess he would." They began to dance to Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head." It wasn't the dance studio she'd wanted, but fuck it. She could still dance here. She could dance for Freddie.

Effy laughed, then pulled out her phone. She needed to text the others.

**To Emily; Katie; Naomi; Tommo  
**Freddies shed. Birthday party.

She smiled and clicked send.

Tommo stood in front of the shed. He'd never been in there before, but he got a text from Effy telling him to come over. He turned around, suddenly seeing the Fitch twins.

"So here, I guess it's round here." Emily said from behind them.

Tommo turned and looked over at Katie, noticing she was all dressed up.

"Hey Thomas," Emily said.

"Hey."

"I've never been here before – to Freddie's shed."

"Yeah. Same here." Emily turned and looked over at her sister, "First time for everything, yeah?"

"Yeah."

Katie turned and looked at the other two, the awkwardness becoming unbearable. "Right, let's get this party started." She opened up the door to the shed. Rap music blasted from the stereo. Effy and Pandora were on the couch, while Karen and JJ were on the floor playing a card game. "What the fuck kind of lame-o rave is this?" Katie scoffed. "I dressed up!"

"We're playing Ace of Truth. And I can tell you that we've learned a few things tonight, haven't we Karen?" Seriously, there are just certain things you don't need to know about your best mate's sister.

"You said it had to be shocking," Karen retorted.

"Who's gonna start?" JJ asks before the Fitches or Tommo can wonder what Karen said. He's still feeling queasy about it. Suddenly, the door opened once more. Everything got quiet when Naomi walked in.

"I will," she said softly.

Emily turned to look at her ex-girlfriend. She knew this would be bad.

Naomi sighed. "I've loved you from the first time I saw you. I think I was 12. It took me three years to pluck up the courage to speak to you. And I was so scared of the way I felt, you know, loving a girl, that I learned how to become a sarcastic bitch just to make it feel normal. I screwed guys to make it go away, but it didn't work. When we got together, it scared the shit out of me, because…you were the one person who could ruin my life." Naomi sniffed loudly, trying to stop her voice from cracking further. It didn't really work, though.

"I pushed you away and made you think things were your fault, but really, I was just terrified of pain. I screwed that girl Sophia to kind of spite you for having a hold on me. And I'm a total fucking coward, because…I got…" Naomi reached into her purse, pulling out a pair of plane tickets. "…these…these tickets to Goa for us three months ago…but I couldn't stand…" She trailed off, wiping the tears from her face. "I didn't want to be a slave to the way I feel about you. Can you understand? You were trying to punish me back, and it's horrible. It's so horrible because really, I'd die for you. I love you. I love you so much, it's killing me."

Emily seemed moved by Naomi's speech, near tears herself. They stayed like that for a moment, just staring at each other. After a few seconds of silence, Emily finally made a move. She walked towards Naomi and grabbed her face, kissing her until they needed to breathe. She hugged Naomi tightly, not being able to bear being away from her anymore.

Everyone was happy now, taking shots and dancing the night away. Effy cuddled Panda. Naomi and Emily were kissing in the corner. Karen found a marker, which prompted some graffiti on the Musketeers' picture. Pandora drew smiley faces. Thomas gave JJ a dignified mustache and goatee. Karen drew an arrow to Freddie, then added the word, "Knob." She's his big sister, she's allowed to call him a knob.

Their revelry was broken, however, by the door slamming open. Everyone froze as they turned to look at the door and saw Cook standing there holding Freddie's body. Freddie was covered in blood, and Cook looked like he had been pounded into the pavement. Effy was the first to make a move. She ran to Freddie's body, holding his head close to her chest, not caring how bloody she got. She was crying.

Cook took a deep breath.

"I found him. He's alive."


End file.
